The foremost resource for parents and caregivers seeking ways to help their child increase comfort and overcome chronic pain

Parents of a child in pain want nothing more than to offer immediate comfort. But a child with chronic or recurring pain requires much more. His or her parents need skills and strategies not only for increasing comfort but also for helping their child deal with an array of pain-related challenges, such as school disruption, sleep disturbance, and difficulties with peers. This essential guide, written by an expert in pediatric pain management, is the practical, accessible, and comprehensive resource that families and caregivers have been awaiting. It offers in-the-moment strategies for managing a child’s pain along with expert advice for fostering long-term comfort.

Dr. Rachael Coakley, a clinical pediatric psychologist who works exclusively with families of children with chronic or recurrent pain, provides a set of research-proven strategies—some surprisingly counter-intuitive—to achieve positive results quickly and lastingly. Whether the pain is disease-related, the result of an injury or surgery, or caused by another condition or syndrome, this book offers what every parent of a child in pain most needs: effective methods for reversing the cycle of chronic pain.

Rachael Coakley, Ph.D.,is associate director of Psychological Services in the Pain Treatment Service and director of the Comfort Ability Pain Management Program, Boston Children’s Hospital. She is also assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.

“Parents of kids with chronic pain, as much or more than other patient populations, want to know what concretely they can do to help their kids. With its focus on psychological techniques, teaching vignettes, and workbook strategies, this book is a unique resource.”—Gerard A. Banez, Ph.D., Program Director, Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Program, Cleveland Clinic

“What a truly wonderful book and a gift to families dealing with chronic pain and to the clinicians who care for them! Dr. Coakley’s extensive knowledge base, deep clinical experience, and personal warmth and compassion are evident on every page.”—Neil L. Schechter, M.D., Director, Chronic Pain Clinic, Boston Children’s Hospital

“Dr. Coakley’s book is a superb roadmap and guide for parents of children and adolescents with chronic pain. Her tone and message will resonate with parents from a very broad array of backgrounds and parenting styles. Just the right balance of contemporary research, evidence for what works, and down-to-earth, practical guidance. Simply the best book on this subject for parents.” —Charles Berde, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital

“Dr. Coakley has developed a priceless resource for parents of children who experience chronic pain. Writing from her own considerable experience with these parents and children she offers accessible information to help parents understand chronic pain and guide their children toward a return to their normal, active lives. Through stories of real children and parents who have conquered chronic pain, step by step explanations of research-based tools and approaches to managing pain, and concrete resources, she offers parents all the tools they need to help their children feel less stress and more comfort. The book helps parents to take a much needed step back from focusing on pain alone, to see this problem in the context of not only the whole child but also the important systems—family, school, peers—that play crucial roles in both children’s experiences of chronic pain and their recovery from it. Dr. Coakley brings all available resources to bear upon the goal of helping children manage chronic pain and describes these resources in clear, useful ways that will undoubtedly help parents feel less helpless and more effective in parenting a child with chronic pain or medical stress.”—Deirdre Logan, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School

“After reading this extraordinary and much-needed book, parents will feel confident that they have the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to manage their child’s pain. Indeed, Dr. Coakley has provided us with a model for how our extensive research base on the treatment of chronic pain in children can be translated into practice so as to be maximally useful to parents. When your Child Hurts was written for parents by a very skilled and experienced clinician who clearly understands and deeply cares for parents. This is an essential resource for any parent who has a child with chronic pain.”—Grayson N. Holmbeck, Ph.D., Editor of Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Loyola University Chicago